A69533:1286
Five disputations of church-government and worship
Five disputations of church-government and worship by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1659
Qu. Whether a stinted Liturgy, or form of Worship, be a desirable m… › Proposition 7
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Reas. 3. There is no other words that may be preferred before the words of God, or stand in Competition with them: and therefore me thinks this should easily be decided.
Object. But the Scripture hath not forms enough for all the Churches uses. Answ. It hath matter and words for such Forms. Without any additions, save only terms of Connection, the sentences of holy Scripture may suffice the Church for all its uses, as to forms.
Object. But men may speak untruths in Scripture words if they will, and by misplacing and misapplying them, may make them speak what was never meant in them. Answ. But 1. When they use no expository terms of their own, but merely recite the words of Scripture, the perverting them will not be so easy or common: And 2. When they have placed them how they please, the people are left at liberty […] to the sense they have in the […] to what mens misplacing […] put upon them▪ when we professedly make our forms out of Gods word, we do as it were tell the people that they must give each sentence its proper interpretation as its meant in Scripture, because we pretend not to change it, but to use it. But when its our own words that we compose our own imposed forms in, the people are left more uncertain of the soundness. For the maker is the Interpreter.
Object. But men may speak untruths in Scripture words if they will, and by misplacing and misapplying them, may make them speak what was never meant in them. Answ. But 1. When they use no expository terms of their own, but meerly recite the words of Scripture, the perverting them will not be so easie or common: And 2. When they have placed them how they please, the people are left at liberty 〈…〉 to the sence they have in the 〈…〉 to what mens misplacing put upon them when we professedly make our forms out of Gods word, we do as it were tell the people that they must give each sentence its proper interpretation as its meant in Scripture, because we pretend not to change it, but to use it. But when its our own words that we compose our own imposed forms in, the people are left more uncertain of the soundness. For the maker is the Interpreter.